Car-coupling.



No. 777,520. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904. W. S. LEE.

GAR COUPLING.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 25. 1904.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHBETSBHEET 1.

awvemtoz No. 777,520. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

W. 3. LEE.

GAR COUPLING.

APPLIOATION'FILED AUG. 25, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 2 sums-slum 2.

40 F J v .149

,kfiu 1 J 42 fig M Q WW Z amnion Patented December 13, 1904.

ATEN rFIcE.

WILLIAM SHERMAN LEE, OF lllYtilllC, lOl'VA.

GAR QDOUPLIING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,520, dated December13, 1904. Application filed August 25, 1904. Serial No. 222,138. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, 'WILLIMI SHERMAN Le a, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Mystic, in the county of Appanoosa and State 01"Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in(Jar-Couplers; and I do declare the following to be a iull, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplers.

The object of the invention is to provide a car-coupler having meanswhereby the locking-block when raised will be temporarily supported inan elevated position and from which position the same is automaticallyknocked onto the shank end of the knuckle when the same is uncoupled andfrom which it automatically drops into position to lock said knucklewhen the same is in coupled position.

Another object is to provide means whereby the locking-block is heldagainst casual upward movement, thereby preventing the accidentaluncoupling of the train.

A further object is to provide a coupler of this character which will besimple, strong, and durable in construction, efficient, reliable, andautomatic in operation.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel featuresolt' construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional viewthrough a coupler embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesectional view taken immediately in front of the lockingblock andshowing the same in position for locking the knuckle in coupledposition. Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the locking-block raised andsupported. in position to permit the knuckle to be uncoupled, and Fig. 5is a similar view showing the locking-block resting on the shank of theknuckle when the same is in an uncoupled position.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 denotes the coupler,consisting of a draw-head 2 and a draw-bar 3. In the drawhead 2 isformed a horizontally-disposed chamber 4 and a 'vertically-disposedchamber said cl'iambers being in communication with each other. thechamber 5 opening through the lower side of the draw-head, and over saidopening is adapted to be placed a cover-plate 6. Said cover-plate is cutaway at one side to form a contracted opening 7.

Iivotally mounted within the chamber at is a swinging knuckle 8, havingformed on its rear side an inwardly-projecting curved shank 9. In thechamber 5 is slidably mounted a locking-block 10, on the lower end ofwhich is formed a downwardly-projecting linger 12. In the upper end oithe locking-block 10 is formed a slot or recess 13, the lower wall ofwhich is inclined downward, as shown at 1 1-. The upper end of the block10 is inclined or beveled upwardly at one side, as shown at 15. On theside of the block opposite the upwardly-projecting portion 15 isarranged a transversely-disposed pin or bolt 16, which crosses the slot13, formed in the upper end of said block.

In the upper wall of the chamber 5 is formed a small opening 17, throughwhich projects the stem 18 of a lifting-hook 19, the lower end or billof which is adapted to projectinto the slotted upper end of the block'10 and to engage the pin or bolt 16, arranged therein. On the lower endof the hook 19 is formed a laterally-projecting head 20, which when saidblock is in its lowered position is adapted to engage a recess 21,formed in one of the side walls of the vertical chamber 5. ()n the0pposite wall of said chamber 5 immediately above the chamber 4 isformed an inwardlyprojecting ledge 22.

In operation to release the knuckle 8 to permit the draw-head to beuncoupled the locking-block 10 is raised by the lifting-hook 19 untilthe upwardly-inclined upper end of the block strikes the upper wall ofthe chamber 5, when owing to the beveled or inclined shape of said upperend of the block the same will be thrown or rocked laterally on the hook19, thereby causing the lower end of the block to engage the ledge 22,formed on the side walls of said chamber 5, thus supporting said blockin an elevated position and permitting the knuckle to be swung outwardlyto an uncoupled position. As soon as the knuckle 8 begins to swing to anuncoupled position the shank 9 of the same will strike thedownwardly-projecting finger 12 on the lower end of said locking-block,which will knock said block from off the ledge 22 and cause the same todrop upon said shank, by which said block will be supported while theknuckle is in an uncoupled position. When the knuckle has been swungback to its coupled position, the block will be caused to drop from offthe shank 9 into the lower end of the chamber 5, thereby locking saidknuckle in its coupled position. When the locking block 10 is dropped tothe lower end of the chamber 5, the finger 12 of said block willprojectthrough the opening 7 in the cover-plate 6, thus firmly securingthe lower end of the block against lateral movement. As soon as theblock 10 reaches its lowermost position within the chamber 5 the hook 19will slide down the inclined lower wall of the slot 13 in the upper endof said block, and the head 20 of said hook will slide into the recess21, formed in the side wall of the chamber 5, and will thereby hold saidlocking-block against casual upward movement, thus preventing theknuckle from being accidentally uncoupled. The head 20 and the upperwall of the recess 21 are so shaped that when the hook 19 is drawn orpulled at its upper end the same will be disengaged i'rom said recessand the bill of the hook will engage upon the pin or bolt 16 in saidlocking-block, thus drawing or lifting the same upwardly in the chamber5, as herein before described.

Any suitable operating mechanism (not shownlmay be mounted upon the endof the car to draw the hook 19 upwardly and lift said locking-plate topermit the knuckle to assume an uncoupled position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head having horizontaland verticallydis posed chambers, said vertical chamber having alaterally-formed recess, of a swinging knuckle mounted in saiddraw-head, a locking-block slidably mounted in said vertical chamber,having a curved upper end and a finger at its lower end, a lifting-hookhaving a sliding connection with the upper end of said locking-block,and a laterally-projecting head formed on said hook to engage thelaterally-formed recess in the chamber, said head thereby preventingsaid locking-block from being casually raised and thus accidentallyreleasing said knuckle, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head having horizontallyand vertically disposed chambers, of a swinging knuckle pivotallymounted in said draw-head,a curved shank formed on said knuckle to workin said horizontal chamber, a ledge formed in said vertical chamber, alocking-block slidably mounted in said vertical chamber, said blockhaving an inclined or beveled and slotted upper end, whereby when thesame is raised into engagement with the upper wall of said verticalchamber the lower end of said block will engage the ledge formed in saidchamber, thereby supporting said block, and permitting said knuckle toswing outwardly, means whereby said block is knocked off from said ledgeand supported in position to drop and lock said knuckle when the same isbrought to a coupled position, and means whereby said locking-block israised, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head having horizontallyand vertically disposed chambers, of a swinging knuckle pivotallymounted in said draw-head, a curved shank formed on said knuckle to workin said horizontal chamber, a ledge formed in said vertical chamber, alocking-block slidably mounted in said vertical chamber, said blockhaving an inclined or beveled and slotted upper end, whereby when thesame is raised into engagement with the upper wall of said verticalchamber the lower end of said block will engage the ledge formed in saidchamber, thereby supporting said block and permitting said knuckle toswing outwardly, a downwardly-projecting finger formed on the lower endof said locking-block, in position to be engaged by the shank of saidknuckle when moved to an uncoupled position thereby knocking said blockoff said ledge and onto said shank and a lifting-hook having a slidingconnection with the upper end of said block whereby said block israised, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SHERMAN LEE.

WVitnesses DUNCAN TAYLOR, WM. TAYLOR.

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